the boat could make way against such a torrent; not unless this smart breeze continues in our favour, said the Pilot; and at the same moment, he began to take his course towards the entrance up this channel. There are two high rocks, which stand just at the mouth, like pillars rising yout of the water, and the boat had to steer carefully in between them, which rendered the entrance to the passage still more difficult.— Philips could not, for a moment, take his eyes from the scene before him; the stream was foam. ing and dashing along, and occasionally carrying down with it tall forest trees, which it had torn up along its banks;-the breeze, however, freshened, and the Flechera was safely steered between the pillars, and now pursued her course along the river, stemming the current with a steadiness beyond what Philips had any expectation of.

As they were passing close along a small island, which lay about mid-way in the channel, -the wind died away, and they began to yield to the current, when one of the men suddenly threw ashore the grapple, which, having caught strong hold, the Flechera was brought to, and -made fast for the night; for the evening was now far advanced. Had they failed in this, in one moment more, the boat must inevitably have been hurried down the stream, and proba. bly dashed to pieces against the pillars at the entrance.

Being now, however, safely moored, they all

went ashore, lighted fires, cooked their suppers, and would have slept soundly but for the roar. ing of the water as it tumbled along its rocky bed, and the swarms of musquitoes which surrounded them.

The morning came, but not a breeze of wind was to be felt till near eight o'clock, when they again pushed off from the shore. For the whole of that day, they had a narrow and difficult passage; beyond, they found the river widen in a manner similar to that which they had met with the day before; and, after a day's further sail, they came to where the Apure flows into the Orinoco, and took their course up that river. For twelve miles before they entered the Apure, Philips had been remarking the bright and chrystal appearance of the stream which flowed through the dark waters up which he was sailing, and now discovered it to be owing to the force with which that river rushes into the Ori noco. Arrived within a league of the confluence, it was curious to observe that the current of the Apure was the more rapid of the two; although in this part, the Orinoco, which is three miles wide, also flows with great swiftness. In deed, so violent was the shock of the two streams, that nothing but the skill of the helmsman could have guided the Flechera through the eddies and whirlpools which they form.

The Apure was rising, the current strong, and for want of a favourable wind, they were

obliged to draw the boat along by ropes, in the manner that horses draw our canal boats. In this way they pursued their course during the day, and at night, were, as usual, obliged to land, and to light large fires round them, for the great South American Panther, the tiger, and a larger kind of wild beast, which they once or twice saw come down, even to the shore, at no great distance from them, were prowling about the whole night; the latter, Philips took to be a lion, until he was told that this animal is unknown in that part of America.

Nothing was more remarkable on this part of their voyage, than the increased numbers of all those animals which have been before mentioned; the quantities of crocodiles surpassed description; and many of them were found of from eighteen to twenty feet in length, lying upon the surface of the water, asleep; and, from the colour of their bodics, resembling great logs of wood, which the current was drifting down. The flocks of birds also were so great as to cast a shade over the boat as they flew by.

A few days further sail brought them to the town of San Fernando. Here the captain, not intending to proceed farther up the river, cast anchor; and having taken in a lading of cotton, coffee, and indigo, of which the inhabitants raise great quantities in that part of Venezuela, and send down by the rivers Apu and Oronoco E

to Angostura and Guiana, he informed Philips that it was his intention to return in a few days, and inquired from him if it was his purpose to accompany him back, or to undertake a land journey across the country? But though his desire was great to visit the western coast of South America, he at once dismissed the idea, when he recollected the trust which his partners had reposed in him, which now called him back to Cumana. Never indulge your inclination at the expense of duty, was a maxim on which he always endeavoured to act; and happy would it be for every one, if he laid dowa the same rule to himself. This resolution was not only the most correct, but the most prudent, for it proved afterwards, upon in. quiry, that an excursion across the country to the Pacific Ocean, was altogether too hazardous an enterprize; the course lying through unfrequented and mountainous regions, or else wild and sanguinary tribes, of Indians, The helm therefore was put about, and the currentbeing now in their favour they reached the town of Angostura in a much shorter time than they had ascended the river, There he was fortunate enough to find that the Erin having completed her business, intended returning with ballast to Cumana. He therefore determined on waiting a few days to take his passage in her, rather than in one of the fleche. ras of the place; which, besides that it would have been a great deal more expensive, was less

able to stand the rough weather, which is some. times to be met with in passing along the bar.

Arrived once more at Cumana, he found that his friend had been a faithful and prudent Agent. His cargo was now entirely disposed of, and to advantage; but he was informed that it would be a great deal more advisable to take the ves, sel round to Carthagena, where he could pro. cure a lading of cotton, sugar, and Jesuit's bark. He therefore took leave of his acquaintances at Cumana, and met with nothing worthy of re mark during the voyage, but some hard weather, which carried away his main-yard, and obliged him to cast anchor for some days to refit. These occasional delays, to which sea-faring men are subject, caused great discomfort to Philips, who now that the novelty was past, found, like other landsmen, the sea voyage the most irksome part of the expedition.

The city of Carthagena is built of stone, and situated on a sandy island adjoining the main land, and which is united by a wooden bridge to another island, on which also a town is built, called Xexemani; this second island being connected with the continent by means of another wooden bridge. The houses are built chiefly of stone, and consist of only one story above the ground floor. To Philips's eye they looked singular, for they were all furnished with bal-, conies and lattices; the latter being made of